Saturday, October 14, 2017

BURY THE PAST Review in Publishers Weekly

"L’Etoile, a former associate prison warden, keeps the suspense high while illuminating the culture of criminals and the ties that bind cops."

Bury the Past: A Detective Penley Mystery James L’Etoile. Crooked Lane, $26.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-68331-442-4 Loyalty, revenge, and politics drive L’Etoile’s tight sequel to 2016’s At What Cost. When Sacramento, Calif., detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry investigate a murder and a series of street drug thefts, they conclude that the crimes may be committed by a group of corrupt cops whose leader, Charles Sherman, is in prison. Sherman, a former cop who’s appealing his conviction on multiple counts of fraud, corruption, and drug possession, appears to be targeting those who testified against him. Sherman has Newberry in his crosshairs, trying to ruin her career and her personal life. But how did Sherman’s fingerprints end up at a crime scene when he was locked up at the time? Each respectful of the other’s detective’s skills, Penley and Newberry work well together while wading through a morass of double-crossing colleagues and shady politicians. L’Etoile, a former associate prison warden, keeps the suspense high while illuminating the culture of criminals and the ties that bind cops. Agent: Elizabeth K. Kracht, Kimberley Cameron and Associates. (Dec.)